Hi everyone, well since I've stopped drinking I've had a lot more free time. I have been doing a lot of soul searching and trying to better myself as a person. Someone once told me that I need to speak my truth. I never really forgot it and was actually quite offended by it. But I have been doing some research online and found some really powerful and profound information about what speaking your truth actually means. So I decided to post the top ten tips about it on MWO. I know it doesn't really relate directly to drinking, but I guess becoming sober really does force you to look at you and your life honestly...Sooo I thought this might help. 
:l
Top 10 Tips to Speaking Your Truth
by Colette Carlson
1.Become aware. Notice when your thoughts, words and actions are incongruent. We don?t help each other when we think and feel one way and then say something different.
2.Acknowledge your feelings. Be honest about your own feelings to yourself. Are you feeling uncomfortable, fidgety or fearful about speaking up?
3.Question your motives and costs. Why am I ?editing? my thoughts? What am I afraid of? What am I avoiding dealing with by not being clear and direct? What is my pay-off for avoiding the truth? What is this ?costing? me?
4.Remove the word ?should? from your vocabulary. Consider where your values--your "shoulds"--come from. ?Shoulds? work against self-acceptance and bring guilt. Replace your ?shoulds? with ?will,? ?choose? or ?must.?
5.Say ?No? instead of ?No problem.? When you start to respect your time and energy, it?s amazing how other people will too. Let go of your fears and simply speak your truth. You have the right to say no without feeling guilty.
6.Be clear and direct: When you ask clearly and directly for what you want, you eliminate manipulative behavior. Instead of going on and on about what you don?t want, simply state the behavior or action you would like to see happen.
7.Go to the source. Deliver your message to the person for whom it is intended. If you want to tell Karen something, tell Karen. It?s more respectful to deal with someone one on one than to spend hours talking about them behind their back.
8.Own your message. You can acknowledge ownership with personalized ("I") statements such as "I don't agree with you" (as compared to "You're wrong") or "I'd like you to be on time." (as compared to "You really should be on time, you know").
9.Practice: Practice speaking your truth every day. As time goes by it will feel more natural. You may be uncomfortable, but it?s the results you?re after.
10.Respect: Remember that you don?t have to trample another person?s feelings to express your own. You?ll be amazed at the capacity people have to hear the truth when it?s communicated from your heart.
:lTop 10 Tips to Speaking Your Truth
by Colette Carlson
1.Become aware. Notice when your thoughts, words and actions are incongruent. We don?t help each other when we think and feel one way and then say something different.
2.Acknowledge your feelings. Be honest about your own feelings to yourself. Are you feeling uncomfortable, fidgety or fearful about speaking up?
3.Question your motives and costs. Why am I ?editing? my thoughts? What am I afraid of? What am I avoiding dealing with by not being clear and direct? What is my pay-off for avoiding the truth? What is this ?costing? me?
4.Remove the word ?should? from your vocabulary. Consider where your values--your "shoulds"--come from. ?Shoulds? work against self-acceptance and bring guilt. Replace your ?shoulds? with ?will,? ?choose? or ?must.?
5.Say ?No? instead of ?No problem.? When you start to respect your time and energy, it?s amazing how other people will too. Let go of your fears and simply speak your truth. You have the right to say no without feeling guilty.
6.Be clear and direct: When you ask clearly and directly for what you want, you eliminate manipulative behavior. Instead of going on and on about what you don?t want, simply state the behavior or action you would like to see happen.
7.Go to the source. Deliver your message to the person for whom it is intended. If you want to tell Karen something, tell Karen. It?s more respectful to deal with someone one on one than to spend hours talking about them behind their back.
8.Own your message. You can acknowledge ownership with personalized ("I") statements such as "I don't agree with you" (as compared to "You're wrong") or "I'd like you to be on time." (as compared to "You really should be on time, you know").
9.Practice: Practice speaking your truth every day. As time goes by it will feel more natural. You may be uncomfortable, but it?s the results you?re after.
10.Respect: Remember that you don?t have to trample another person?s feelings to express your own. You?ll be amazed at the capacity people have to hear the truth when it?s communicated from your heart.
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